From 2020 to 2021, the number of e-cigarette users worldwide will increase by 20%, according to the latest research from the Global Status of Tobacco Harm Reduction (GSTHR) by KAC, the UK's public health agency. The organization estimates that there are currently 82 million e-cigarette users worldwide.

The updated calculations were made possible by the release of a range of new data, including the 2021 Eurobarometer 506 survey, and disclosed in a new GSTHR briefing. The figures are based on available surveys of vaping prevalence in 49 countries.

To address the issue of missing data, GSTHR used an established method to estimate the number of vapers in countries for which there is currently no information, assuming similarities to countries in the same region and economic situation with data points.

This estimate takes into account three factors—sales regulatory status, WHO regions, and World Bank income groups—and Euromonitor data on the size of the vaping product market from 2015 to 2021.

Tomasz Jerzynski, Data Scientist at GSTHR, said: “In addition to the significant growth in the number of e-cigarette users worldwide, our research shows that the use of nicotine e-cigarette products is also increasing rapidly in some countries in Europe and North America. This growth is particularly significant, Because in most markets, these products have only been on the market for ten years.”

In fact, the number of vapers worldwide is increasing despite GSTHR's database showing that 36 countries, including India, Japan, Egypt, Brazil and Turkey, have banned nicotine vaping products.

The new data also shows that the US is the largest e-cigarette market valued at $10.3 billion, followed by Western Europe ($6.6 billion), Asia Pacific ($4.4 billion) and Eastern Europe ($1.6 billion).

Gerry Stimson, Director of KAC and Emeritus Professor at Imperial College London, said: "Consumers are finding nicotine vaping products appealing and are turning to more and more globally, as the latest data on the state of global tobacco harm reduction shows. The more they are used. Although many countries have adopted prohibitive policies, these countries have adopted opposition reduction due to Michael Bloomberg's billions of dollars and his personal enthusiasm for the war on nicotine. An anti-scientific stance on the harms of tobacco."